BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb head football coach Carroll McCray has completed his coaching staff for the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

Six of the nine coaches spent the 2012 season with McCray at North Greenville University. One coach, inside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Travis Cunningham, has been with the Gardner-Webb program since 2001.

Three of the new offensive coaches spent last season at North Greenville: assistant head coach and offensive line coach Kenny Ray; quarterbacks Coach Brett Nichols and receivers coach La'Donte Harris.

Ray, who played center at Southern Miss during Brett Favre's career in Hattiesburg, also has heavy experience in the Division I ranks and was offensive coordinator at North Greenville in 2012.

Nichols spent time as an intern on the staff at Furman under Bobby Lamb and played quarterback at South Carolina under both Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier.

Harris cut his teeth in coaching as an offensive graduate assistant at Clemson, where he played receiver from 2004-2007.

Three of the new defensive coaches spent last season at North Greenville: defensive line coach Issac Mooring; outside linebackers coach/special teams coordinator Brett Hickman, plus cornerbacks coach Rocco Adrian.

Mooring gained experience coaching on both lines at North Carolina Wesleyan, before spending a year tutoring the defensive front in Tigerville, S.C. He played at the University of North Carolina, competing with Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims on a deep Tar Heels' front four.

Hickman spent four seasons coaching at North Greenville, helping the Crusaders to their 11-3 run in 2011. He also coached in Conference USA as an undergraduate assistant and quality control coach at East Carolina under Skip Holtz.

Adrian played and coached at Furman, spending three seasons on staff under Bobby Lamb.

Cunningham has been a key part of the Gardner-Webb program since beginning his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant in 2001. He has mentored 19 linebackers or safeties to All-Conference honors and six – all linebackers – earned Division I FCS All-America honors. Seven of the top-20 tacklers in GWU history spent at least one season under Cunningham's direction.